Netherlands

Groningen

Groningen is the capital city and main municipality of Groningen province in the Netherlands. Dubbed the "capital of the north", Groningen is the largest city as well as the economic and cultural centre of the northern part of the country; as of January 2025, it had 244,807 inhabitants, making it the sixth largest city/municipality in the Netherlands and the second largest outside the Randstad. As of 2025, the Groningen metro area had a population of 557,369 inhabitants. Groningen was established more than 980 years ago and gained city rights de facto in 1245, making it one of the oldest cities in the Netherlands, although no written records of a formal grant of city rights remain.

Source: Wikipedia (CC BY-SA)

Must-see in Groningen

The most notable places, ranked by how widely they are documented on Wikipedia.

culture

Groninger Museum

Tue–Sun 10:00–17:00Photo: Wikimedia Commons

More places in Groningen

Filter by type. Photos from Wikimedia Commons, details from OpenStreetMap.

Oosterkerk

cultureDetails & map

Lutherse Kerk

cultureDetails & map

Prinsenhof

landmarkDetails & map

Magnalia Dei Kerk

cultureDetails & map

Wall House #2

culture · Apr-Oct Sa,Su 12:00-17:00Details & map

Noor

food · We-Sa 18:30-24:00, Sa 12:00-16:30,18:30-Details & map

Groenestein

landmarkDetails & map

Helperkerk

cultureDetails & map

Protestantse gemeente Hoogkerk

cultureDetails & map

Noorderplantsoen

landmarkDetails & map

Grafmonument Familie Scholten

landmarkDetails & map

Oorlogsmonument Esserveld

landmarkDetails & map

Synced from OpenStreetMap on Fri Nov 13 2026. Places not seen for 45 days or reported closed are removed automatically.

Plan your days in Groningen

Your Groningen day plan

Grouped by neighbourhood, lunch included. Built from places we verified recently.

How many days?

Longer trips (up to 10 days): part of Pro

2 days · Balanced · about 8 stops

Standard plan shown. Sign in (free) to build your own.

Climate in Groningen

Best time to visit: Jun–Aug

Average temperature

3°

Jan

3°

Feb

6°

Mar

9°

Apr

13°

May

16°

Jun

18°

Jul

18°

Aug

15°

Sep

11°

Oct

7°

Nov

4°

Dec

Crowd level (0–5)

Jan

Feb

Mar

Apr

May

Jun

Jul

Aug

Sep

Oct

Nov

Dec

Flights to Groningen

Compare fares and price history from the biggest departure cities.

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Day trips and nearby cities from Groningen

Staying more than a few days? These cities are close enough for a day trip or a night away. Distances are straight-line from Groningen; times are rough estimates by road.

From Groningen you can reach Leeuwarden (52 km), Zwolle (85 km), Hengelo (107 km), Lelystad (107 km) and Wilhelmshaven (108 km) in about 1 h to 1 h 40 min by road. Each city page has its own sights, a day plan and flights.

More in Netherlands

Questions about Groningen

The most pleasant months are Jun to Aug, with comfortable temperatures and lighter crowds. Right now it averages about 7°C in November.

Among the most notable places are Groninger Museum, Martinikerk, Akerk, Hortus Haren, St. Joseph Cathedral. Browse photos and opening hours for more on this page.

You can fly into Borkum Airport, Emden Airport, Groningen Airport Eelde. Use the flight links on this page to compare fares and set a price alert.

Most visitors enjoy 2 to 3 days. Use the route builder below to get a day-by-day plan that groups sights by neighbourhood and includes lunch.

Groningen